UAE and WHO Urgently Evacuate 85 Palestinians from Gaza to Abu Dhabi
In a major humanitarian effort, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have called for the urgent evacuation of 85 sick and severely injured Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to Abu Dhabi. The evacuations include cancer patients in need of extensive treatment accompanied by 63 family members.
According to a statement released by the UAE Embassy in Abuja, the evacuations will be carried out from Ramon airport in Israel, via Karam Abu Salem crossing. The UAE has been providing crucial aid to Palestinians in Gaza, including food, relief, and medical items, and has so far provided over 40,000 tonnes of aid through various means.
The UAE’s partnership with WHO has enabled the announcement of the evacuation as part of their unwavering humanitarian commitment to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The initiative highlights the urgent need for humanitarian intervention and the UAE’s steadfast commitment to supporting the people of Gaza amidst the catastrophic situation.
Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, emphasized that the evacuation is a testament to the UAE’s enduring and historic support for the Palestinian people, guided by their dedication to providing immediate relief and advancing peace in immense adversity.
The UAE has also welcomed 709 patients from Gaza, along with 787 of their family members, to receive medical treatment, following the directives of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President, to provide care for 2,000 injured and cancer patients from Gaza.
The Director-General of WHO, Tedros Ghebreyesus, thanked the UAE for supporting the evacuation of sick and injured people from Gaza and hopes that this will pave the way for the establishment of evacuation corridors via all possible routes, including the Kerem Shalom and Rafah crossings to Egypt and Jordan, and from there to other countries. WHO also called for evacuations to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, to be restored, as thousands of sick people are suffering needlessly.
The humanitarian efforts demonstrate the UAE’s solidarity with the Palestinian people and their determination to alleviate their suffering and ensure urgent, sustainable, unhindered delivery of aid at a wide scale.
